Apparatus for can-end curling and sizing



July 7, 1925.

M. E. WIDELL APPARATUS FOR CAN- END CURLING AND SIIZING Filed Nova 17,1920' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 M. E. WlDELL APPARATUS FOR CAN END CURLING ANDSIZING 'July 7, 192s. 1,545,171

F iled Nov. 17, 1920 4 hes M. E. WIDELL APPARATUS FOR CAN END CURDINGAND SIZING Filed Nov. 17, 1920 I 4 ee 5., I

Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAGNUS E. WIDELL, OF MAYWOOID, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CANCOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR CAN-END G'URLING AND SIZING.

Application filed November 17, 1920. Serial No. 424,694.

To all whom it may concern Be it knownthat I, MAGNUS E. WIDELL, acitizen of the United States, residing in Maywood, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inApparatus for Gan-End Curling and Sizing, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates in general to apparatus for operating upon canends, and more particularly to amachine for rapidly sizing andcurlingthe flanges of said ends in a unitary and continuous operation.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus forperforming a formative operation upon the can end flanges, which iswholly automatic in its action and which handles the ends with rapidityand precision, turning out a properly sized, as well as an accuratelyshaped, article.

A further important object of the inven tion is the provision of anapparatus of this type, wherein means are provided for separating canends from a stack and feeding them singly in spaced relation to theformative members. 1

A still further object of the invention is the provision of apower-operated machine for the purposes stated, which, by simplechanging of the operative members, is adapted to operate upon can endsof difierent sizes.

' Another important object of the invention is the provision of anapparatus accomplishing the foregoing and other objects, and being ofcompact and simple construction, sure and practical in action, anddevoid of complicated or delicate parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it isbetter understood from the following description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ap paratus embodying my presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a front view thereof;

Fig. A is a section looking down and taken substantially on the line4-4: in Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 55 in Fig.4;

Fig. 6 is a partial enlarged front elevation of the means for separatingthe can ends and sizing and curling them;

Fig. 7 is a section looking down and taken substantially on the line 77in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a partial enlarged sectional view of a can end before theformative operation; and

Fig. 9 is a similar view after the operation, showing the efi'ectthereof.

The acompanying drawings disclose a preferred embodiment of myinvention. The apparatus there shown comprises a pedestal support 11whose top forms a bed 12 upon which the operating parts are 'mounted. Astack holder 18 is arranged at an incline above and through theapparatus. It contains a stack of can ends 141- which rests upon theupper parts 15 of cylinders 16. A bracket 17 (Fig. 3) is at tached tothe stack holder and has a depending finger or guard 18 positioned tothe front of and between said cylinders to hold the can ends inoperative position. The cylinders are provided with screw threads 19beginning at the top in such spaced relation that the descending canends may be caught and turned therebetween when the cylinders arerevolved. The can ends as they are so engaged are roughly formed andhave gaskets 21 of compound or paper positioned upon their flanges 22whose edges 28 are upturned.

The threads 19 are of increasing thickness and the space therebetweencorrespondingly less toward the bottom. This results in progressivecurling of the can end flanges as they are revolved between thecylinders and bringing the entire ends to exact and accurate formation.The recesses 24: be

tween said threads may be slightly concave V at the bottom to assist inthe formative op eration.

The means whereby the cylinders are revolved are as follows: A shaft 25mounted in bearings 26 in a frame 27 carries spiral gears 28 (Figs. 4and 5) which mesh with spiral 'pinions 29 carried upon stub shafts 31journaled in the top of the frame 27. These pinions mesh with spiralgears 32 upon the upper ends of shafts 33, upon which the cylinders 16are carried and by which they are revolved.

The shaft 25 is turned by a gear 34 mount ed on the end thereof andmeshing with a pinion 35 which is carried on a shaft 36. This shaft alsocarries a gear 37, which in turn meshes with a pinion 38 driven by amotor 39 (Fig. 2). This arrangement accomplishes a suitable reductionand transmission of power and is simple and sure in operation The gearsand pinions just described are, preferably, enclosed in a casing 41,whose outer side should be open or screened to prevent heating. Thelarge gears 34 and 37 may be provided with orifice's 40 for a similarpurpose and for lessening their weight.

The operation of the apparatus is continuous, the supply of can ends inthe stack holder or chute 13 being replenished from time to time. Aspreviously stated, the bottommost can end rests upon the upper parts ofthe cylinders, and as the ends are successively removed from the bottom,the stack descends by gravity, maintaining said contact.

I have provided automatic. means for separating the ends and feedingthem into the screws. Arms 42 (Fig. 7) are provided just above the upperthreads of each of said screws and pivoted at 43 to the frame 27. Theyhave wedge shaped blades 44 adapted to enter between the end flanges,spacing them apart so that they may be singly'engaged within the screws.The arms are nor mally held in retracted position by springs 45. Cams 46are provided on; the shafts 33 tomove said arms inwardly and between thecan ends upon each revolution of said shafts and they are withdrawn bythe springs 45.

'The cylinders are mounted in the frame 27 and held by braces 47extending from collars 48 on the shafts 33, and having slots 49 throughwhich are bolts whose heads 51 clamp said braces into fixed positionwhen nuts are tightened upon said bolts.

The result of the action of the machine may be seen by comparing Figs. 8and 9, illustrating a can end before and after being operated upon. Thecurled shape of the flange indicated at 52 is that usually desired, butmanifestly a different degree of curling may be attained merely byvarying the formation of the screw threads 19.

from the spirit an A receiving stack holder 53 is provided beneath thecylinders and suitably inclined to receive and form a stack 54 of thefinished can ends, which are removed at intervals by attendants.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of "the (parts without departing scope of the invention orsacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore"described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: H

1. An apparatus for operating upon can ends and the like, comprising, incombination, astack holder, means for feedingthe can ends from thebottom of a stack, and elongated screw threaded cylinders for sizing andcurling them and delivering them in accurate formation to a receivingholder, said feeding means comprising cams turning with said cylinders.

2. An apparatus for operating uponcan ends and the like com risin incombination, a stack holder a apted to contain a stack of can ends,means therebeneath for arranging the ends in spaced relation and feedingthem singly from the bottom of the stack, and a pair of rotating screwmembers having devices for actuating said feeding means and having screwthreads of increasing thickness adapted to rogressively curl the flangesof said can end; as they descend between said threads and to deliverthem ancurately sized and formed.

3. An apparatus for operating upon can ends having, in-combination, apair of curlingscrews, means for holding a stack of can ends restingoneon another above and in axial alinement with the space between saidscrews, and, devices for separating can ends one by one fromv the bottomof said stack and dropping them fiatwise at predetermined times againstthe receiving ends of said screws, i a v 4. An apparatus for operatingupon can ends, com rising power-operated formative screws an anautomatic separator for feed- 5. An apparatus for operating upon can Iends having, in. combination, a pair of curling screws, means forholding a stack of can ends resting one on another above and in axialalinement with the space between said screws, and devices for feedingcan ends in anaxial direction at predetermined times in the rotations ofsaid screws, to the receiving ends thereof.

flanges progressively curled thereby as they pass downwardly betweensaid screws, and 10 means for rotating said screws at high speed andmeans for feeding can ends in an axial direction to the receiving endsof said screws at predetermined times.

MAGNUS E. WIDELL.

